Ditching-machine.



D. G. Wenns. v DITCHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24. i9101 Patented Nov. 14, 1911.

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abme? D. G. WGODS. DITGHING MACHINE.

AP-PLIUATION FILED MAY 24, `1910. Patented 14,

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D. G. WOODS.

DITGHING MACHINE.

' f I APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1910. 1,008,765.

Ptentea Nov.14,1911.

D. G. WQ'oDs. kUITGHING MACHINE.

ABPLIOATION FILED MAY 24, 1910. A v

, Patented Nov. 1.4, 1911.

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DANIEI G; woon's, or NEW ORLEANS,v LOUISIANA.

DITCHINGr-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

`Appcaton filed May 24,

Patented Nov. 14, 1911.

1910. Serial No. 563,142.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known'that I, DANIEL G. WOODS, acitizen of the United States,residing at New Orleans, in the State of Louisiana, have invented newand useful Improvements in Ditching-Machines, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to a ditching mai chine and one object of theinvention is the provision of a novel, cheap" and4 efficient machine ofthis character which carries its own propelling power and which willaccomplish in an ordinary working day, the work of approximately fiftymen.

Another Object of the invention is the proi vision of .novel means-forinterrupting the travel of the machine automatically rupon theengagement of the cutting blades with an obstacle such as a stump or alarge rock, thus avoiding the breaking'l of the cutting blades and thepossible destruction of other parts of the machine.

' Further objects of the invention will appear as the specificdescription which'follows is read in connection with the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this vspecification and in Which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a top plan view. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal sectional view. Fig. 4 is a detail horizontal section on.the line 6--6 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail horizontal sectiontaken through the` forward portion of Fig. 1 immediately above y thecutting blade. Fig. 6 is a detail side.

elevation. Fig. 7 is a top plan view thereof.

Referring more especially to the drawings, 1 and 2 represent the sidemembers by a bridge 3 and the central cutting blade which are connectedtogether intheir center 4 which is bridged across the forward portion ofthe side members and presents a V- shaped cutting point 5. Upon t-heupper portion of the blade 4 is mounted a shield G which is incl-inedupwardly from the point of the blade and its cutting edges to a pointapproximately half of its length where it tapers downwardlyas at 7 toprovide a sort of receptacle in which the lower end of the mainconveyer'8 is adapted to move. This conveyer .is mounted at its lowerend upon a roller 9 journaled in the side members 1 and 2 and atlitsupper end travels over a roller 10 journaled in bearings on verticaliarms 11 secured to the side members 1 and 2. The rear end of theconveyer is adapted to discharge the dirt received thereon to vanauxiliary conveyer 12 Amounted in a frame 13 arranged at right angles tothe conveyer 8 and projecting a considerable distance beyond the side 1of the machine so as to deliverA the dirt to one side of the ditch whichis formed. Theseconveyers are driven by mechanism which will now bedescribed. Mounted upon the side 2 of the frame is a motor of ansuitable character suchas a gasolene engine which has its driving shaft.

14 journaled in bearings upon a longitudinal beam 15 mounted upon thearms 11, 16 and 17 projecting upwardly from the sides of the machine.This shaft 14 has secured to it a belt pulley 18 which is belted to apulley 19 upon a counter-shaft 2O journaled in bearings on thelongitudinal bars 15. To the counter-shaft is connected a suitablepulley 21 which is belted to a larger pulley 22 on the roller 10 and the-opposite end of the roller is provided with a smaller pulley 23 whichisbelted to a larger pulley 24 secured. to the outer roller of .theconveyer 1 2. The belt which connects the pulleys 23 and 24 passes overidlers 25 and 26 both rotating independently on a stub shaft 27projecting upwardly from a bracket 28 on the end member 29 which isbridged between the side members 1 and 2. From the gearing shown, itwill readily be seen that the conveyer 12 is driven at a greater speedthan the conveyer-S in Order that the smaller conveyer cated bracket 38secured to the side l. To one end of the crank shaft 32 is connected alink 34 whose otherend has pivotal connection with an arm 'rigidlysecured to *the oscillatory shaft 36 upon which the feeding cutters 37are mounted. The shaft 36 is journaled in the outer ends of theforwardly extending arms'38 mounted upon the arms 17 and is adapted'tothrow the cutters 37 so that they will engage the dirt as it isdislodged by the cutter and force it to a vposition in the receptacleI 7whereby it may journaled in bearings carried vby a bifurlicl be taken upby the conveyer 8. This reciprocating device is also adapted to chop upthe dirt as vit is displaced and reciprocates considerably slowerrelatively than the travel of the lconveyerso that at no time is anexcess ofvmaterial fed to said conveyer' upon the sides of the ditch isldisplaced by' the cutters 41 it will be forced inwardly byv the shearingmembers 43 in the path of the cutters 87. These shearing members simplytaper inwardly and downwardly from the cutters 41 to the side edges ofthe blade 4 and bring the material into the path of the cutters 37.

Pivoted to the sides of the members 40 is a yoke member 44 whose pivotalends are covered by a protecting plate 45 so that they will not catchupon the sides of the ditch; Secured to the central portion of the yokemember and extending forwardly of the ma' chine is a draft'bar 46 uponwhich is pivoted a supporting plate 47 in which is slidably mounted thesupporting foot 48 of the ldraft bar., Projecting upwardly from thesupporting -foot is a clip 49 yto which is removably secured a U-.shapedstrain member 50 upon which `is slidably mounted a bridgepiece 51against which the adjusting spring 52 is adapted to bear. The opposite"end of the spring 52 bears against a bridge plate 53 which is secured tothe end of the strain members 50 and passing through the bridge members51 and 53 is an adjusting screw 54 which is prevented from pullingthrough the bridge plate 51 by an upset head. The

inner end of the adjusting screw has thread-' ed thereon an adjustingnut 55 which bears I against the upturned end 56 of the supporting plate47 The sides of the supporting foot are turned up to form bearing plates56 in which'is journaled a cable drum 57 having ratchet wheels 58secured thereto which are engagedv by the releasing pawls 59 pivoted tothe bearing plates 56. Journaled upon the shaft upon which the drum 57is mounted is an operatingv lever 60 which has pivoted to its outer.face an operating pawl 61 adapted to engage one of the ratchets 58 andintermittingly operatethe drum. This operating lever 60 is provided witha plurality of stub shaft bearings 62 and 63 in which the stub shaft 64may be secured. The stub shaft 64 is connected to the crank shaft 32 bya' pitman 65 so that upon the operation of the crank shaft 32 by itsbelted 'connec tion with the counter-shaft'-20 andthe driven shaft 14,the operating Llever- 60 is' .reciprocated.. During its forwardmovement, the pawl 61 engages the ratchet 58 and rotates the drum 57 andin its rearward movement, the pawl 6l rides idly over the ratchetand'the pawls 59 prevent retrograde move' ment ofthe drum. Connected to thepawls 59 and to the'upturned end 56 of the supporting plate 47 are slackchains 59*l which, whenl the cutters encoi'interan immovable -obje'ctand the supporting foot moves for'- ward as the drum continues to windintermittingly on the cable, will withdraw the pawls 59 and thusinterrupt the action of the drum and the progress of the machine.

Asuitable cable 66 is secured to the drum and adapted to be .woundthereon and upon ythe outer end of the cable is mounted any preferredtype of anchor 67 which isjsecured in the ground; Thus, when the drum isrotated in the lproper direction and thel cable wound up, the machine.will be pulled. toward the anchor. In order to support and guide thecable between the anchor and the drum I pivotally secure to the foot 48a pair of arms 68 which are connected at their ends in order to 4aiforda journal for a guiding pulley 69 over which the cable travels.

Journaledbetween the sides adjacent the rear end ofthe machine is abearing plate `70 whose outer end is flanged as at 71 to form asupporting member for :the bearings 72 in which the guiding slide 73ismounted This slide comprises a transverse bar 74 Which-has securedupon its outer ends ditch engaging 'members 7 5 and is provided with asocket in its center adaptedV to receive the short end of the operatinglever 7 6 which is pivotally mounted upon the flange 71 and providedwith an operating handle 77. By

sliding this'handle in'v either direction either i one of the ditchengaging members' are ymade to bear more firmly on one side of the ditchthan on the other, thus throwing the machine laterally to the oppositeside and making the plates take a different course. In order to raiseandlower the plate 70, there is secured upon the end piece 29, anenlarged boss 78 which is provided with a vertically threaded aperture79 adapted to and the weight of the machine gradually forces the plateupwardly toward the sides.

The opposite movement of the screw will raise the sides from the plate70 and thereby depress the forwardportion 'of the machine andconsecuently cause entrance of the blades into the ground.

receive the adjusting screw 80. This adi object.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is*- 1. In aditching machine, the combination withan anchored draft cable, of a drumsupport slidably mounted yon the. machine, a mechanically operated` drumcarried thereby, means for interrupt' g thefaction of the drum when themachin' encounters an immovable object, and elastic meansinterconnecting the machine and'. drum support for adjustablycontrolling the' operation-0f the interrupting means.

2. '-In a-ditching machine,- having ditching cutters, the combinationwith an anchor draft cable, of a mechanically operated winding drumslidably mounted upon the machine for winding the cable, an adjustableand elastic device connecting the drum and the machine, and meanscontrolled by the device for interrupting the yaction of the drum whenthe cutters encounter an immovable 3. In a ditching machine havingditching cutters, the combination with an anchored cable of a windingldrum for said cable, ratchet means to operate said drum, means toprevent retrograde movement of the drum,

and means acting upon the engagement of the cutters with an immovablesubstance to render. inoperative said preventing means.

4. In a ditching machine having ditching cutters, the combination withan anchored cable, a winding drum carried by the machine for the cable,av ratchet lever for operating the drum, means carried by the machinefor operating said lever, means for preventing retrograde movement ofthe drum, and means independent ofthe lever operating mechanism forinterrupting the action of the retrograde preventing means uponengagement of the ditching cutters .with an immovable substance.

5. In a ditching machine having ditching cutters, the combination withan anchored cable, a drum carried by the machine for winding said cableand having ratchet wheels thereon, a lever having a pawl arranged tooperate said drum in one direction of its movement, and to ride idlyover the ratchet in the other direction of its move7 ment, means forpreventing retrograde movement of the drum, and means for reny Vitnessesdering said last named means inoperative upon engagement of the ditchingcutters with an immovable object. i

6. In a ditching machine, having ditching cutters, the combination withan anchored cable, of a drum for winding said cable "cable, of a pivotedsupport carried by the machine, a drum slidably and pivotally mountedupon said support, means for in- -termittingly operating said drum inone direction, means for preventing 'retrograde movement of the drum,means connected to the machine and to said retrograde preventing meansadapted torender said retrograde preventing means inoperative? upon theengagement of the ditching cutters with'an immovable object, and anadjustable connection between the drum and -drum support.

8. In a ditching machine having ditching cutters, the combinationwith acable anchored at one. encd, of a supporting arm pivotally carried bythe machine, a drum support slidably and pivotally mounted upon saidvarm, a cable winding drum mounted on the support, means forintermittingly op-' erating said drum in onedirection, a pairl of pawlscarried by the drum support adapted to prevent retrograde movement ofthe drum, a liexible connection between the drum support and theipawls,and an adjust- I able spring connection between the arm and the drumsupportwhich regulates the release of the pawls.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in -presence of two witnesses.

HENRY W. FISHER, JOHN R. ROBERTS.

' DANIEL G. wooDs.,

